The Man Who Built Bridges and Harmonies

With a slide rule for a wand and a song in his heart, Wilton Albert Roberts, Jr., known to the world as “Bud,” has laid down his tools and tunes. Born in the heart of Portland, Oregon, on January 23, 1941, he wove his story through the loom of years, until the winter of his days met him in Beaverton, Oregon, on February 26, 2024, at the noble age of 83.

Bud was the maestro behind many civil engineering marvels, always finding the perfect pitch to blend concrete with nature. When he wasn’t blueprinting the future, he hit the low notes as a bass in the Barbershop Harmony Society. With groups like Bright Side, Four Cheers, Pacific Pride, and Overtime, as well as numerous Barbershop Choruses and other groups along the way, Bud’s voice resonated deeply beyond just the ear; it echoed in the hearts of all who heard and knew him.

Bud’s stint in the Air Force from ’63 to ’67 was just one of many crescendos in a life marked by service and song. His career included making his mark on the world through the Port of Seattle, Waker and Associates, the City of Beaverton, the State of Oregon, and Trimet, where his harmonies of urban planning and environmental stewardship still resound.

A choir of family members carry on his legacy: his wife Suzanne, his children Connie, Sandy, Joe, Karen, Craig, Heather, Michelle, and Joel, accompanied by a medley of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, a niece, and nephews. Preceding him were his mother Jamette Elanor Duncan Roberts Groom, his father Wilton Albert Roberts, Sr., his stepfather Jack I. Groom, and his sister Carol Roberts.

Let’s not say goodbye but rather ‘intermission,’ as a Celebration of Life will hold a matinee performance on Saturday, April 20th, at 1:00 pm at The Portland Center for Spiritual Living, 6211 NE MLK Blvd., Portland, OR 97211.

In lieu of roses or lilies, consider a chorus of contributions to the Harmony Foundation of the Barbershop Harmony Society in Bud’s name. Singing carried him through a difficult childhood, through multiple careers, all the way to his last breath on this stage. Help singing close harmony be found by the voices and lives of tomorrow by visiting https://www.harmonyfoundation.org/barbershop-harmony-society.

Here’s to Bud: may his final curtain call be met with a standing ovation and endless encore